Retainer for mop wringer plates



June 1, E. F. LUX RETAINER FOR MOP WRINGER PLATES Filed Dec. 8, 1945 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 r1 7 INVEIIVTOR.

f, azua rdl Z (122 BY 26-154. am, m 7 yfi hm l. 2

J 1, 1 8 E. F. LUX 2,442,467

RETAINER FOR MOP WRINGER PLATES Filed Dec. 8, 1945 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 d ""YIIIOIIIIIIIIIF:

INVEN TOR.

EQZUQTLZIZQZ, BY

MWMQJM,

W 0gp:

Patented June 1, 1948 RETAINER FOR MOP WRINGER PLATES Edward F. Luz, Elkhart, Ind., assignor to The Lu: Company, Inc., Elkhart, Ind., a corporation of Indiana Application December a, 1945, Serial No. 633,627

Claims. (01. 15-119) This invention relates to a mop having improved means for releasably securing the wringer device in out-of-use position close to the handle of the mop, in such manner that it will be out of the way of the mop during the mopping action and yet be instantly and easily available for use in squeezing excess liquid out of the swab element when desired.

The present invention is an improvement over that disclosed in my Patent No. 2,222,368 granted November 19, 1940, for Mop. In such mops it is important that the wringer device handle be positively held out of the way of the swab while the latter is being used for mopping purposes, and that this holding means be of such nature that it may be released when it is desired to squeeze the swab. The types of holding means heretofore used have been such that after continued use of the mop the wringer device handle would become loosened with relation to the mop handle and flop around and interfere with the mopping operation.

Among the objects of the present invention are: to overcome the disadvantages and to accomplish the advantages referred to above; to provide a novel and improved mop; to provide in a mop improved means for positively holding the wringer plate and wringer handle out of the way when the mop is being used for mopping purposes; to so construct such positive holding means as to render the wringer plate and its handle quickly and easily available for squeezing the swab; to provide such holding means that will be positive in action, easily applied to the socket member of the mop handle, and that may be removed and replaced for repairs and substitution when desired; and such further objects, advantages and capabilities, inherently possessed by my invention, as will later more fully appear.

My invention further resides in the combination, construction and arrangement of parts illustrated in the accompanying drawings, and while I have shown therein for illustrative purposes a preferred embodiment, I wish it understood that the same is susceptible of modification and change without departing from the spirit of my invention.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a side elevation of a mop embodying my invention and showing in solid lines the wringer plate and wringer handle swung into position ready to start the wringing or pressing ac- ;ion against the swab, and showing in dotted ines the wringer plate in latched position against zhe mop handle socket.

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary rear elevation lookin 2 toward the right hand side of Fig. 1 but omitting the dotted line position of the wringer plate in Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a, fragmentar transverse section on the line 3-3 of Fig. 2 looking in the direction of the arrows.

Fig. 4 is a rear elevation of the mop with the wringer plate swung downwardly and latched against the mop handle socket.

Fig. 5 is a longitudinal medial section on the line 5-5 of Fig. 4. u

Fig. 6 is a perspective view of the resilient catch member separate from the mop.

In the form of my invention shown in the drawings my improved mop comprises generally the mop head I, preferably of sheet metal of plate form, to which is fixed upon the bottom side as viewed in the drawings a socket member 2 for receiving the forward end of a mop handle 3, the socket member being secured to the mop handle end by outwardly standing spaced flanges 4 drawn together by bolts 5 for gripping the socket member on the mop handle. Removably secured to the head I is a'swab 6 which may be made 01 the commonly used cellulose cellular material which when wet has the characteristics of a sponge and chamois, or if desired the swab may be of any suitable material such as sponge, sponge rubber, felt or lambs wool, depending upon whether the mop is to be used wet as for exampie with water when used for washing floors, or dry, or with suitable coating materials applied thereto.

The swab is fixed to a backing member I which may be of textile or other suitable material having an extended flexible flange member 8 near one edge and a flexible flange. member 9 extending beyond the other edge. The flange member 8 is provided with a loop receiving a rod III or other stifiening element and the flange 9 is provided with a similar rod II,.the loop 9 with its rod II being slid longitudinally into a groove within inturned flange I2 formed along one edge of plate I. This enables the swab to be slid longitudinally into place and removed from the head when desired. The opposite edge of the plate I is formed with a hollow bead I 3, over which bead the textile flange 8 is passed and gripped by the hooked ends I I of the resilient holding member I5 having wire legs passingoutside of and on both sides of the socket member 2, and formed at its opposite end with a closed snap I6 which is forced around the outer surface of the inturned flange I2 with sufficient pull to firmly hold the textile flange 8 around h'ollow bead I3. This securely its removal swab upon the head I, but permits by unhooking the snap it from around the flange member l2 and removing the hooks l4 from the textile flange l which thus loosens these parts and enables the swab to be slid longitudinally of! of the head.

Mounted in the hollow of the bead l2 and extending either the full length thereof or part of the full length thereof as desired,'is a wire rod I'I formed at each of its ends with a bent portion 18 which continues in the form of an elongated wire through the hollow of the overturned bead I9 so as to swingably support the wringer or presser plate 20. This mounting enables bent ends positions the l8-to swing downwardly as viewed in Figs. 4 and and swing the wringer or presser plate 20 alongside the socket member 2, when the wringer plate is not being used, and to swing it outwardly and upwardly to carry the wringer plate to the position shown in Fig. 1, at which time it is ready to squeeze or wring the swab by pressing downwardly upon thewringer handle 2|, which handle is rigidly fixed to the wringer plate 20.

In order to firmly but releasabiy hold the wringer plate 20 in the position shown in Fig. 5 I have provided a resilient catch member shown in Fig. 6 which is preferably formed from spring wire having a looped end catch 22 which extends inwardly at an angle as shown in Fig. 5 and is then formed with depression 23 within which is seated the outer free edge 24 of the wringer plate 20. This resilient catch member as stated is formed of a resilient spring wire and from the depression 23 extends rearwardly in the form of two converging legs 25-26 which contact each other at their rear end portions which are bent over the forward edge of the socket member 2. The socket member is formed at its forward end with a recess 21 through which recess the hooked ends 28 of the rear end of legs 25-26 are passed to hold the resilient catch member against rearward movement when the free edge 24 of the wringer plate 20 is swung into the recess 23 in the active end of this catch member.

The rear end of the socket member 2 as shown in Fig. 2 is provided with a pair of laterally spaced holes 29 and Ill and the metal of the socketmember, from these holes to the adjacent end of the socket member, is pressed outwardly to form a pair of laterally spaced grooves 3| and 32 within which are seated the portions 33 and 34 of the resilient catch member, the adjacent bent portions 35 and 38 passing through holes 29 and 30 from whence the legs 25 and 26 extend forwardly to the hooks 28, as will best be understood in Fig. 5. As stated, hooks 28 prevent the resilient catch member from being pulled rearwardly of the socket and the grooves 3i-32'accommodate the ad-'- jacent portions of the resilient catch member outside of the mop handle I, at the same time positioning the loop end 22 and adjacent parts to receive the free edge 24 of the wringer plate 20 when it is swung into position against the socket member, or close thereto. During this action the free edge 24 will wipe against the incline 36 and bend the same away from the wringer plate as it rides thereover and then swing back to receive said free edge in the recess 23 of the catch member. This construction not only firmly holds the wringer plate 20 in out-of-use position but also enables the wringer plate to be easily un'latched by pulling outwardly on the handle 2! when the wringer plate is desired for wringing the swab by pressing thereagainst. Should it be desired to remove this resilient catch member for repairs or for replacement, the same can be accomplished by removing the mop handle, inserting a suitable tool within the socket member and bending the hook members 28 to approximately right angles so as to free them from the recess 21 of the socket member, and then slide the resilient catch member along the socket member and removing it from the holes 28 and 30. It may be replaced by movements reverse to those last mentioned above.

It is thus seen that I have provided in a. mop a resilient catch member positive in action and one which will firmly hold the wringer plate in out-of-use position and yet permit it to be released when wringing of the swab is desired. I have also provided a catch member that is economical in construction and may be easily and securely applied to the socket member, and yet be removed therefrom for repairs or for renewal when desired. As will be understood the mopping action could not be successfully and satisfactorily carried out should the wringer handle become loose for flopping about, and hence it is extremely necessary that a positive but releasable catch be provided for holding the wringer securely in position adjacent the socket member and releasable when desired. The resilient catch constructed as herein described fully meets these requirements and provides a more efilcient and satisfactory mop. While I have described the resilient catch member as being made of bent spring wire it will be understood that it may be made of flat material other than spring wire and yet retain the general features herein described.

I claim:

1. In combination a releasable catch and a handle-receiving socketmember adapted to be mounted upon a mop having a swingable presser plate, said catch comprising a resilient wire bent into a. laterally extending loop portion at its rear end and having a pair of forwardly extending legs, said socket member having formed in the inner surface of its'rear end portion a pair of short longitudinal grooves in which said legs are seated and a hole extending laterally through the wall thereof at the forward end of each of the grooves, through which grooves and holes of said legs pass, said legs extending from said holes forwardly and exteriorly of the socket member, and means for securing the forward ends of the wire legs to the forward end of the socket member, whereby said loop portion will positively snap over the outer edge of the presser plate when the latter is swung close to the socket member, and be releasable therefrom by anoutward pull on the presser plate.

2. The combination as claimed in claim 1, in which said means comprises a hook formed on the forward end of each of said legs engaging with a rearward pull against the forward end of the socket member, whereby a rearward thrust on the :loop portion during latching action will be sustained by said hooks.

3. In combination a releas ble catch and a handle-receiving socket member adapted to be mounted upon a mop having a swingable presser plate, said catch being formed of resilient wire having a loop portion at its rear end and legs extending from said loop portion to the inside of the rear end of the socket member and a short distance forwardly therein, then outwardly through hole means in the socket member wall and thence forwardly along the outside of the socket member, and means for securing the forward end portions of said legs to the socket member, whereby the loop portion will positively snap over the outer edge of the presser plate when the latter is swlmg close to the socket member, and be releasable therefrom by an outward pull on the presser plate.

4. In combination a releasable catch and a handle-receiving socket member adapted to be mounted upon a mop having a swingable presser plate, said socket member having near its rear end a pair of laterally spaced holes and a pair of internal grooves extending from said holes to the adjacent rear end of the socket member, said catch comprising a resilient wire bent into the form of a loop at its rear end and having a pair of legs positioned in said grooves and extending through said holes and forwardly along the exterior of the socket member, said socket member at its forward end having in its wall a rearwardly extending recess, and said legs each having at their forward end a hook engaging over an edge of the wall of said recess, whereby said loop will positively snap over the outer edge of the presser plate when the latter is swung close to the socket member, and be releasable therefrom by an outward pull on the presser plate, said hooks and grooves holding the catch in position on the socket member.

5. In combination a releasable catch and a handle-receiving socket member adapted to be mounted upon a mop having a swingable presser plate, said catch comprising a resilient member formed at its rear end with a laterally extending portion adapted to resiliently snap over the outer edge of the presser plate when the latter is swung close to the socket member and be releasable therefrom by an outward pull on the presser plate, said resilient member passing inwardly through the rear end of the socket member, thence outwardly through an opening in the wall of the socket member, then forwardly along the exterior of the socket member, said resilient member at its forward end being formed with a hook portion which engages with a rearward pull against an edge of the front end portion of the socket member to securely hold the catch in position on the socket member.

EDWARD F. LUX.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,244,592 Roo Oct. 30, 1917 1,290,554 Healey Jan. 7, 1919 1,419,234 R00 June 13, 1922 1,466,052 Kroll Aug. 28, 1923 2,014,488 Bates Sept, 17, 1935 2,073,726 Bates Mar. 16, 1937 2,222,368 Lux Nov. 19, 1940 

